Tropical Plant Database - Plant Details

Smilax melastomifolia is a woody, climbing vine (liana) which sometimes has prickles on either the vine or leaves. Smilax has glossy, heart shaped leaves that can grow up to 18 cm long. At the base of each leaf are two twining tendrils that can wrap around other plants to support the vine as it grows. Smilax is dioecious which means that the male (staminate) and female (pistillate) flowers are found on different plants. Both male and female flowers develop in round clusters (umbels)and are pale green to white. The small, fleshy fruit develop from the female flowers and grow to 1 cm in diameter. The fruit are dispersed by birds.

(Wagner, W. L., Herbst, D. R., and S. H. Sohmer. 1999. Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai`i. Revised Edition. Volume 2. Bishop Museum Special Publication 97. University of hawai`i Press, Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai`i.)

Smilax melastomifolia is endemic in Hawai`i meaning that Hawai`i is the only region in the world in which this species is found. It is found in wet forests and in vegetation adjacent to bogs on all the main Hawaiian Islands (except Ni`ihau and Kaho`olawe) from 180-2,080 meters elevation. The genus Smilax contains almost 300 species including both tropical and temperate species.

The roots of many Smilax species store starch and the roots of Smilax melastomifolia may have been utilized as a famine food by early Hawaiians.

Smilax melastomaifolia is a host plant for the Hawaiian endemic moth species Scotorythra ortharcha (Lepidoptera: Geometridae). The caterpillars feed entirely on the young leaves of this species.

The genus Smilax is named from the greek work "smile" which means “rasping” and is thought to be a reference to the presence of prickles on the stems and leaves of many Smilax species.
(Plowden, C. C., 1970. A Manual of Plant Names, Philosophical Library, New York.)

We currently have 28 herbarium specimens for Smilax melastomifolia in our collection. Click on any specimen below to view the herbarium sheet data.

• 022437 - collected by J. F. Rock in Unknown
• 022431 - collected by Otto Degener in 1922
• 022438 - collected by Otto Degener in 1926
• 022439 - collected by Otto Degener in 1926
• 022432 - collected by Otto Degener in 1926
• 022440 - collected by Otto Degener in 1927
• 017824 - collected by Derral Herbst in 1971
• 017823 - collected by Thomas B. Croat in 1978
• 017821 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1983
• 017820 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1983
• 017822 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1983
• 017825 - collected by Steve Perlman in 1987
• 017818 - collected by David H. Lorence in 1988
• 036590 - collected by J. Regalado in 1993
• 015115 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1993
• 021939 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1994
• 027050 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1997
• 034484 - collected by David H. Lorence in 1999
• 034339 - collected by David H. Lorence in 1999
• 048752 - collected by Clay Trauernicht in 2009
• 064907 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2010
• 053483 - collected by Tim Flynn in 2010
• 064036 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2012
• 064990 - collected by Steve Perlman in 2012
• 065468 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2013
• 076169 - collected by Seana Walsh in 2015
• 082422 - collected by Maggie Sporck-Koehler in 2017
• 092216 - collected by Dustin Wolkis in 2023